❝ 𝑰 𝑨𝑴 𝑺𝑶𝑴𝑬𝑶𝑵𝑬 𝑾𝑯𝑶 𝑫𝑰𝑫 𝑵𝑶𝑻 𝑫𝑰𝑬 . . . ❞
madeline windsor & jacob barber are bullied by ben rifkin in school and now he's dead, and with the accusations piling up about who truly killed the boy, everyone can't help but ask : did...
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❝ . . . 𝑰𝑻 𝑾𝑨𝑺 𝑱𝑼𝑺𝑻 𝑨 𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑻𝑳𝑬 𝑴𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬 ❞
. . .
words in italics are flashbacks
. . .
THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY BELL RANG, WHICH MADELINE HEARD AND STOOD UP FROM HER SEAT. people passed in front of her while she made her way to the door. a hand came up and tapped her shoulder, prompting her to stop walking, turning around to come face to face with ben rifkin. he smiled, pulling her out of the way of the others trying to get out of the classroom. now it was just him and her in there, suddenly the room felt small to the blonde girl.
"oh hey ben, what's up?" she asked, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. she kept her books clutched tightly to her chest. she was wearing a blue sweater she had gotten for christmas during break, which was only ended three days ago. madeline hadn't seen or talked to ben since the new years party.
ben looked into her eyes and said, "nothing much. just wanted to say hi and talk to you. i haven't seen you since the party. i've missed you."
madeline blushed, her eyes reverting to the clock at the opposite wall. she still needed to get her stuff from her locker and drive home. "okay . . . well can you walk with me and talk? i need to get to my locker to leave." she motioned towards the door. "adrian needs a ride home." that was a lie, adrian had swim practice, but she just wanted to make up any excuse to stop talking to ben longer than she needed to.
ben nodded, beginning to walk with her out of the classroom. they made their way into the hallways past the groups of their peers. natalia was walking with her boyfriend and gave madeline a look, which maddie shook off and kept walking.
"you know, you walk really fast, windsor," ben said to her. "it's almost a run."
madeline just shrugged her shoulders then turned to her locker, opening it. she grabbed her backpack and started to put the folders she needed into it for homework tonight.
"so what do you think of that project we're doing for the great gatsby?" ben asked, leaning against the locker next to her and keeping his eyes on hers. "do you want to do it together?"
"no, actually i already promised jacob that i'd do it with him."
"of course," ben mumbled under his breath.
"what was that?" madde asked, closing her locker. "did you say something?"
ben stared her down. "it's just that you ignored me at the party on new years and hung out with jacob instead. you didn't even give me my new years kiss. don't tell me you like jacob barber more than me."
